Sound-wave operated mimicking device



Dec. 27, 1966 J. s. KAMPE 3,293,781

SOUND-WAVE OPERATED MIMIQKING DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1964 H66 42 44 INVENTOR 37 3a JOSEPH s. KAMPE 4o 36 BYMMWJ H67 AT TO RNEYS United States Patent 3,293,781 SOUND-WAVE OPERATED MIMICKING DEVICE Joseph S. Kampe, 4937 Tonti St., New Orleans, La. 70125 Filed Dec. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 421,968 12 Claims. (Cl. 402S.3)

This invention relates to an independent sound-wave operated mechanism that will operate in sympathy with sound waves and more particularly to a sound-wave operated mimicking device to be associated with a device for generating sound waves such as a loudspeaker.

In the prior art, mimicking devices have either been operated by electronic or mechanical actuation. In the case of electronically operating a mimicking device, the patent to B. L. Henry, 2,324,774, discloses how intricate an electronic circuit must be in order to accomplish actuation of a mimicking device in response to sound waves. While I have not been able to uncover any prior art mechanically operated mimicking device, which operates in sympathy with sound waves, the patent to Frisch, US. Patent No. 1,807,207, teaches a doll head having a movable lower lip and tongue that are actuated by movement of the position of the doll head.

In order to provide a mimicking device, which operates in sympathy with sound waves without using electronics and the expensive components incidental thereto, I have provided a sound wave operated mimicking device, which has a flexible diaphragm that can be associated with a device for generating sound waves and a mechanical linkage associated with the diaphragm and actuated by the vibrations thereof to convert the sound waves into mechanical motion of the mimicking device.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved sound operated mechanism.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a new and improved mimicking device which is actuated by sound.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a mimicking device which is actuated by sound waves but does not require an expensive mechanism for converting the sound waves into the mechanical motion of the mimicking device.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive structure for converting sound waves into mechanical reciprocating motion.

Other and further objects of this invention will become more readily apparent when reading the application and viewing the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of my new and improved mimicking device mounted in juxtaposition with a radio loudspeaker;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating one form of my mimicking device;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of FIG. 2, illustrating the motion of the mimicking device in phantom lines;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another form of my mimicking device wherein said device has two movable mimicking members;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of still another form of my mimicking device wherein the movable member thereof moves in a plane parallel to the diaphragm;

FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of still another form of my mimicking device.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout, my mimicking device 10 is in the form of a mans face 12, wherein the lower lip and chin 14 are ice movable in response to sound. The device preferably has a circular diaphragm, this being in juxtaposition to the loudspeaker 16a of a radio 16 by means of a rubber band 18 encircling said radio. The lower lip and chin 14 move in rhythm and in sympathy to the sounds generated by the loudspeaker as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, where a pin member 20 is shown associated with the diaphragm 15 and projecting perpendicularly outward therefrom so that it can reciprocate in accordance with the vibrations of the diaphragm. The end 20a of the pin member 20 actuates the lip and chin member 14 by coming in contact with a projecting member 22. An arm 25 is rotatably mounted on an axle 22a at its center of gravity and has the chin and lip member 14 extending from one end thereof with a counterbalancing weight 24 at the other end thereof. In FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, which illustrate one form of my invention, it will be noted that the arm 25 rotates in a plane perpendicular to the diaphragm. However, as will be seen hereinafter from a description of other forms of my invention, it is not necessary to this invention to have the arm rotate in this manner.

From understanding the operation of the above form of my device, it will become readily apparent that I have provided a new and improved sound operated mechanism, such as a mimicking device, which operates in sympathy to sound waves and fulfills the objects of my invention in a remarkably unexpected fashion. To operate my device, the flexible diaphragm 15 should be placed in juxtaposition with the loudspeaker 16a of a radio or any other type of device for generating sound waves. Thereafter, as the sound waves are generated, the pin member 20 reciprocates in the directions indicated by the arrows (in FIG. 4) and accordingly makes contact with the projecting member 22 to rotate the arm 25 and in turn move the lip and chin member 14 as illustrated in phantom lines in both FIGS. 1 and 4. After the pin member actuates the projecting member 22, the lip and chin member 14 is forced to move back to its original position by the counter balancing weight 24 to put the lip and chin member into position for further actuation in response to vibration of the diaphragm 15. Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a means for converting sound into mechanical energy without the need of expensive electronic circuitry or intricate mechanical levers. In addition thereto, by having the lip and chin members motion in sympathy with the sound waves, I am able to provide a mimicking device which works in cooperation with a radio to give the appearance of generating the sound itself thereby providing an entertaining playtoy in addition to a device that might have other far ranging uses such as in the advertising or sign field.

Another form of my invention is illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the diaphragm 15 has a pin member 30 extending therefrom with a Y shaped end 30a having a first and second branch to actuate a pair of balanced arms. One of the arms, the first arm 25, is exactly like those illustrated and described in FIGS. 1 through 4, whereas the second arm 26 is disposed above the first arm 25 and it has a mimicking member 32, which can act as the upper lip member of the mimicking device illustrated in FIG. 1. The upper arm or second arm also has a counterbalancing weight 34 and the arm is pivotally mounted at the center of gravity. The biggest difference between the two arms resides in the fact that the second arm has a projecting member 26a extending downward therefrom. Therefore, when the pin member 30 is actuated, the projecting member causes upward rotation of the arm 26 and corresponding upward movement of the member 32. After actuation upward, the member 32 returns to its original position by the force due to gravity of the counterbalancing weight 34.

In another form of my invention, I have provided an arm 36, which is mounted on an axle 37 for rotation in a plane parallel to the diaphragm 15 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The arm 36 is constructed in the same fashion as the others in that it has a counterbalancing weight 38 at one end thereof with a mimicking member 40 at the other end thereof. A projecting member 42 extends angularly from the arm 36 and is disposed in proximity to a curved pin member 44 projecting from the diaphragm. When the projecting member is contacted by the curved pin member 44 the arm 36 is caused to rotate downwardly. Accordingly, when the curved pin member is caused to reciprocate, the mimicking member is caused to move downward due to rotation of the arm 36. Thereafter, the arm 36 returns upward to its original position by the force of gravity due to the counterbalancing weight 38.

Still another form of my invention is illustrated in FIG. 8, wherein an arm 46 is rotatably mounted directly on the diaphragm 15 so that as the diaphragm vibrates, the arm 46 is caused to rotate. This arm also has a mimicking member 48 at one end thereof and a counterbalancing weight 50 at the other end thereof. The diaphragm is punctured and has the arm 46 protruding therethrough and an axle 52 is attached to the outside of the diaphragm directly under the opening in the diaphragm. On top of the arm is a small angled contact pin 54 with one end disposed above the opening in the diaphragm. Thus, when the diaphragm 15 vibrates the pin 54 makes contact therewith and upsets the arm 46 to cause rotation to produce the same results as the other forms of my invention.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An independent sound-Wave operated mechanism to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, a pin member disposed for actuation by said diaphragm in order to move in sympathy with the vibration of said diaphragm caused by said sound waves, an arm rotatably mounted on an axle at its center of gravity and a projecting member extending from said arm and being disposed to contact said pin member for actuation when said diaphragm vibrates, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to move sympathetically with said sound generating device by urging said pin in contact with said projecting member, and said arm returns to a balanced horizontal position after being urged.

2. An independent sound-wave operated mechanism to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, a pin member disposed for actuation by said diaphragm in order to move in sympathy with the vibration of said diaphragm caused by said sound waves, an arm rotatably mounted on an axle at its center of gravity, said arm rotating in a plane substantially perpendicular with respect to said diaphragm, and a pnojecting member extending from said arm and being disposed to contact said pin member for actuation when said diaphragm vibrates, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to move sympathetically with said sound generating device by urging said pin in contact with said projecting member, and said arm returns to a balanced horizontal position after being urged.

3. An independent sound-wave operated mechanism to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, a pin member perpendicularly mounted on said diaphragm in order to move in sympathy with the vibration of said diaphragm caused by said sound Waves, an arm rotatably mounted on an axle at its center of gravity, said arm rotating in a plane substantially perpendicular with respect to said diaphragm, and a projecting member extending from said arm and being disposed to contact said pin member for actuation when said diaphragm vibrates, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to rotate sympathetically with said sound generating device by urging said pin in contact with said projecting member, and said arm returns to a balanced horizontal position after being urged.

4. An independent sound-wave operated mechanism to be associated With a device for generating sound Waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound Waves, a curved pin member extending from said diaphragm in order to move in sympathy with the vibration of said diaphragm caused by said sound waves, an arm rotatably mounted on an axle at its center of gravity, said arm rotating in a plane substantially parallel with respect to said diaphragm, and a projecting member extending angularly from said arm and being disposed to contact said pin member for actuation when said diaphragm vibrates, said projecting member being disposed to cause rotation of said arm when said pin member makes contact therewith, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to move sympathetically with said sound generating device by urging said pin in contact with said projecting member, and said arm returns to a balanced horizontal position after being urged.

5. An independent sound-wave operated mechanism to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, an arm rotatably mounted on an axle at its center of gravity, said arm extending through said diaphragm and having said axle disposed on one side of said diaphragm, a pin member extending from said arm and having its end disposed proximate to said diaphragm, said arm rotating in a plane substantially perpendicular with respect to said diaphragm, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to move sympathetically with said sound generating device by coming in contact with and urging said pin, and said arm returns to a balanced horizontal position after being urged.

6. A sound-wave operated mimicking device to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, a pin member disposed for actuation by said diaphragm, an arm rotatably mounted at its center of gravity, said arm having a mimicking member at one end thereof and a counterbalance weight at the other end thereof, and a projecting member extending from said arm and being disposed to contact said pin member to cause said arm to rotate when said diaphragm vibrates, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to rotate sympathetically with said sound generating device and in turn actuate said mimicking member by urging said pin in contact with said projecting member, and said mimicking member returns to its original position due to said arm returning to its balanced position.

7. A sound-wave operated mimicking device to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, a pin member perpendicularly mounted on said diaphragm, an arm rotatably mounted at its center of gravity, said arm having a mimicking member at one end thereof and a counterbalance weight at the other end thereof, and a projecting member extending from said arm and being disposed to contact said pin member to cause said arm to rotate when said diaphragm vibrates, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to rotate sympathetically with said sound generating device and in turn actuate said mimicking member by urging said pin in contact with said projecting member,

and said mimicking member returns to its original position due to said arm returning to its balanced position.

8. A mimicking device, as defined in Claim 7, wherein the form of a human face covers the elements thereof and said mimicking member comprises the lower lip and chin of said face.

9. A sound-wave operated mimicking device to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound Waves, a curved pin member extending from said diaphragm, an arm rotatably mounted at its center of gravity, to rotate in a plane substantially parallel with respect to said diaphragm, said arm having a mimicking member at one end thereof and a counterbalance weight at the other end thereof, and a projecting member extending angularly from said arm and being disposed to contact said pin member to cause said arm to rotate when said diaphragm vibrates, whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to move sympathetically with said sound generating device and in turn actuate said mimicking member by urging said pin in contact with said projecting member, and said mimicking member returns to its original position due to said arm returning to its balanced position.

10. A sound-wave operated mimicking device to be associated with a device for generating sound waves, comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, an arm rotatably mounted on an axle at its center of gravity, said arm having a mimicking member at one end thereof and a counterbalance weight at the other end thereof, and a pin member extending from said arm and being disposed to contact said diaphragm when said diaphragm vibrates, said arm protruding through said diaphragm and having said axle disposed on one side of said diaphragm whereby said diaphragm causes said arm to move sympathetically with said sound generating device and in turn actuate said mimicking member by contacting and urging said pin, and said mimicking member returns to its original position due to said arm returning to its balanced position.

11. A sound-wave operated mimicking device to be associated with a device for generating sound waves comprising: a flexible diaphragm juxtaposed with said device for generating said sound waves, a pin member perpendicularly mounted on said diaphragm, said pin having a Y shaped end with a first and second branch, a first arm rotatably mounted at its center of gravity, said arm having a mimicking member at one end thereof, a projecting member extending upward from said arm and being disposed to contact said first branch of said pin member to cause said arm to rotate downward when said diaphragm vibrates, a second arm disposed upward of said first arm and rotatably mounted at its center of gravity, said arm having a mimicking member at one end thereof, and a projecting member extending downward from said arm and being disposed to contact said second branch of said pin member to cause said arm to rotate upward when said diaphragm vibrates, whereby said diaphragm causes said arms to move sympathetically with said sound generating device and in turn actuate said mimicking members in opposite directions by urging said pin in contact with said projecting members, and said mimicking members return to their original position due to said arms returning to their balanced positions.

12. A mimicking device, as defined in claim 11, wherein the form of the human face covers the elements thereof said mimicking member attached to said first arm forms the upper lip of said face and said mimicking member attached to said second arm forms the lower lip and chin of said face.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,609 9/1893 Schloesser 4037 2,001,880 5/1935 Lambourne 40106.43 2,324,774 7/1943 Henry 4028.3 X 2,392,547 1/1946 Plebanek 46232 X 2,871,593 2/ 1959 Roberts 4028.3 3,131,497 5/1964 Rogers 4028.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 323,458 12/ 1934. Italy.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner, 

1. AN INDEPENDENT SOUND-WAVE OPERATED MECHANISM TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVICE FOR GENERATING SOUND WAVES, COMPRISING: A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM JUXTAPOSED WITH SAID DEVICE FOR GENERATING SAID SOUND WAVES, A PIN MEMBER DISPOSED FOR ACTUATION BY SAID DIAPHRAGM IN ORDER TO MOVE IN SYMPATHY WITH THE VIBRATION OF SAID DIAPHRAGM CAUSED BY SAID SOUND WAVES, AN ARM ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON AN AXLE AT ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY AND A PROJECTING MEMBER EXTENDING FROM SAID ARM AND BEING DISPOSED TO CONTACT SAID PIN MEMBER FOR ACTUATION WHEN SAID DIAPHRAGM VIBRATES, WHEREBY SAID DIAPHRAGM CAUSES SAID ARM TO MOVE SYMPATHETICALLY WITH SAID SOUND GENERATING DEVICE BY URGING SAID PIN IN CONTACT WITH SAID PROJECTING MEMBER, AND SAID ARM RETURNS TO A BALANCED HORIZONTAL POSITION AFTER BEING URGED. 